Reliable sources within the Government revealed that some officers at the Foreign Investment Division (FID) are using the Office of the Prime Minister & Cabinet (OPMC) to threaten foreign investors to pay up their fines or face consequences.
According to one source, on March 03rd, 2021 an email was sent to foreign companies operating in Munda, Noro, Gizo, and all logging companies in the province.
These companies the source said that have paid partial payment already to FID.
“But most of the payments were believed to be done outside of the Government payment system with the receipts not belonging to the government,” the source said.
In the email obtained by the Solomon Star, the officer was emailing on behalf of the FID Registrar.
The email reads:
“…..our boss has an audience with Office of the Prime Minister (PMO) yesterday and from the meeting, Prime Minister asked us to submit the final list of the above to his office by Friday 5th March 2021.”
“This means that those who have not completed their payments would be cancelled and be sent on the flight on 10th March 2021. The second flight would be on the 24th March 2021 for the remaining ones. Hence, my boss has advised me to inform you of this latest development and for us to address this matter by informing our clients as soon as possible.
“We have no other alternative to this but to comply seeing this is a directive from the office of the PM. Let us all work together to avoid any disappointment in the future.” – end of the email.
But when this paper enquired about the meeting it was confirmed by an insider within the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) that there was no such meeting occurred with the Prime Minister.
“In fact, the only meeting we know was that that COVID-19 Oversight Committee met with relevant senior officers from our ministry to discuss repatriation for over-stay foreigners in the country.
“The Government is aware that some of the foreigners who are working in the country especially in the logging sector and other businesses are currently living illegally in the country due to border restriction caused by COVID-19,” the insider said.
The insider added that therefore the COVID-19 Oversight Committee is working closely with the ministry to plan repatriation for this group of people so that they can return safely to their country.
“The meeting has nothing to deport foreign business owners who fail to adhere to our Investment laws as stated in the email,” the insider told this paper.
Meanwhile, comments will be sought from the Foreign Investment Division (FIB) in the new week.
By ANDREW FANASIA
Newsroom, Honiara
